


we are the foxes and they are the hunters

by clockworkmoon



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ghosts, Ghost Hunters, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-26
Updated: 2015-01-26
Packaged: 2018-03-09 04:51:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3236915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clockworkmoon/pseuds/clockworkmoon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bokuto is a goddamn good ghost hunter. Then, he meets Kuroo. Who is a ghost, and the only person Bokuto ever met that shares his level of enthusiasm over the series called Casper the friendly ghost.</p>
            </blockquote>





	we are the foxes and they are the hunters

**Author's Note:**

> The only serious thing about that fic is the title. And I took the title from a Taylor Swift song, so.

Bokuto didn't remember when the war started, or who started it. Or why would anyone even still call it a war. It was just a never ending struggle for power, with both sides thinking they deserved more space in the world.

Akaashi said it was all kinda dumb, since ghosts didn't have any bodies, thus didn't require literal spaces like houses and lands and such, and could easily live with humans and it shouldn't cause so much problems. But, he would say that every day before setting off on their routine, daily, ghost hunting missions, so it didn't really mean anything. Almost everyone though the same thing as Akaashi- though more often than not they voiced it differently - but these were empty words, since both sides were just too far gone in this spiral of violence. Too used to this mindless war just as they were used to breathing. At least the human part of this battle was used to it. Got it? Because ghosts don't breathe. Heh, he should write that one down. This line would make a great burn with the next ghost he was going to catch.

Bokuto was a goddamn good ghost hunter- he liked the shot of adrenaline in his veins when he stalked in the dead of the night, watching carefully for any signs of paranormal activities. He was a co-commander of the ghost hunting squad in Tokyo with Akaashi- whatever anyone's opinion wouldn't be, they made a great team. Akaashi always kept his mind clear and Bokuto couldn't help but appreciate it, considering how hot headed he himself could get sometimes.

Tonight, they were targeting a rather quiet area- the ghost spotting percentage here was one of the lowest, but recently there were more and more reports made of a single abnormal activity. Akaashi was convinced it was just some whiners trying to put the blame for their own mistakes and misfortunes and pine it on a ghost scape-goat, but they had to check it anyway. After all, a large amount of tax payers money was paid them, to keep their squads fed and armed in the most effective weapons. So, they couldn't turn their noses on any of the alarms, however puny they wouldn't be.

"We're heading out." Akaashi said over his arm, picking up his heavy gun and shuffling it inside his bag. Bokuto didn't respond, waiting expectantly.

"Captain." Akaashi added after a few seconds pause, and unfortunately Bokuto was too quick to turn to him and he didn't miss the eye roll.

"Don't be like that! I worked for this title super hard!" Bokuto exclaimed, closing the distance between them in few energetic strides. He fumbled with his duffel bag's strap, adjusting it to a better level of comfort. Akaashi zipped his bag up, and threw it over his arm.

"But it doesn't mean you have to shove it down everyone's throats..." he sighed, watching as Bokuto struggled with his bag. "But it sounds so cool! What's the point of a title no one uses?" Bokuto explained with a grin, and then looked triumphantly at his gear after he gave it a finishing touch, and was happy with the results.

"I have the same title as you." Akaashi deadpanned, then proceeded to open the door to let them out, key to their storage ready in his hand.

"I am aware of that, captain Akaashi." Bokuto's grin widened at Akaashi's raised eyebrows.

* * *

 "I'm so bored." Bokuto whined, elbowing Akaashi in the side. Akaashi's gun wobbled in the air in the effect of the nudge, but his face remained stoic.

"We have an hour left on this watch-out, then we can head back." Akaashi's voice was hushed, even though there was literally not even an ounce of anything abnormal in the 3 mile vicinity that could be scared away by their voices.

"This sucks." Bokuto informed him after a minute of silence, his voice a regular volume. Akaashi didn't answer him, and maybe it was thanks to that that they managed to hear a weird noise above them. Akaashi stirred, then slowly rose to his feet- however, Bokuto had beaten him to it. By the time Akaashi picked up his gun, Bokuto was already dashing for the staircase.

"You forgot the radio-" Akaashi started, but Bokuto was long gone before Akaashi could even finish the sentence. Bokuto jumped three steps at time as he climbed up the impossibly steep staircase, until he finally reached the metal door of the next floor. He gave the area a quick swipe with his detector. Unfortunately, there was no presence of anything paranormal.

He opened the door, slowly, quietly- and before entering the room, he swiftly slode his noctovisor onto his nose. The glasses were pretty awesome- they looked like the coolest gadget, and were extremely useful in their line of work. It wasn't just goggles allowing a night vision- it also detected quick changes and drops in the heat caused by the presence of ghosts. His dark uniform suit made him blend with the pitch dark surroundings as he moved, closely following the firm surface of the naked walls and pillars, supporting the room.

Suddenly, he noticed a good observation spot- it was sort of hidden from above by few abandoned metal sheets, wobbling dangerously over a pile of trash such as empty cans and a wheelbarrow - probably remainings of the recent building rennovation - so he made a carefull beeline in that direction. Carefully, watching out for any sharp pieces that could hurt him, he ducked under it and had a look from his new spot. It was kind of perfect- if the ghost was hovering in the air, there was no way it could see him from above. And, there was a convenient break between all the rubbish supporting the metal, that created an ideal watching hideout.

He waited, witholding his breath.

Now, the wait had a purpose- he heard that there was a movement in the building that was promtly cleared out before tonight's action. They scanned the whole place with detectors set on the human body heat waves, to make sure no one alive, breathing and with a pulse was inside. It worked on animals, too. So, it had to be something long dead that made the noise.

Bokuto felt a wave of pleasant shiver running down his body- he loved working as a hunter. The chasing part, at least. He hated the part where he had to annihilate them, it seemed stupid, and kind of painful for his opponents- but he couldn't budge. Whe he first started working as a ghost hunter, he would just catch the ghosts. He was super effective in that- that was how he managed to climb up the ghost hunters ladder and become a captain. But in all honesty, he had never purposefully killed a ghost.

The Fukurodani squad members who knew about it, the ones closest to him, teased him sometimes, calling him Captain Heart or Co-Commander Casper, as in Casper the Friendly Ghost. But it wasn't his fault he watched that movie at a very influential age and couldn't bring himself to hate ghosts. Not even years of forceful military propaganda could change his Casper the Friendly ghost fanboy's heart.

But his feelings didn't get in the way when he was _stalking_ ghosts.

He was a good hunter, period. At least he thought he was a good hunter. Bokuto always believed his gear was flawless and was as big part of his successes, on the same level as his skills, or energy, or unrelenting personality. The scientists spent years and decades, and were funded with millions, if not billions, of money, all just to develop the newest, most deadly and sufficient technologies.

But, somehow, neither his glasses nor detector warned him about the ghost. He had to feel a shiver running down his spine at the presence of this coldness, or, how Akaashi liked to put it, the lack of warmth, by his side, to turn his head and notice the faint, glowing fog, that with the passing seconds started to form a grin, then, a body.

His gear didn't warn him, and now there was a ghost laying next to him, mocking his position and doing a look-out of his own.

"The hell-" Bokuto murmured, then abruptly sat up, hitting his head on the metal sheets that were supposed to guard him from above. "The hell!" he yelled, pointing at the ghost.

He wasn't scared per se. It was just such a shock, not only to see a grinning face mere centimeteres from his, but to realise how useless his gear really was in action.

"Watch out, or we'd get buried under these. I don't wanna die." the ghost said, with an evil glimpse in his eye.

Bokuto cleared his throat, trying to calm his racing heart, and raised an eyebrow. "Well, aren't you already dead?"

The ghost chuckled, straighting up to sit at the same level as Bokuto. His glowing legs went through all the rubbish that compounded as the walls of Bokuto's failed watch-out nest. Then, the weirdly grinning guy smiled even wider. "I see they send the most observant and tactful ones to hunt us these days."

"I will have you know I am a commander of one of the best squads in Tokyo." Bokuto said, chin raising and arms folding on his chest. The ghost studied him for a while before taking on a serious face. "I thought I heard something about you being a co-commander." Bokuto gawked, glad it was so dark around, because he that way he could just clear his throat again instead of stressing over his fluster.

"Ah yes, that is- correct. But, there are more pressing questions. Are you going to kill me? My gear isn't working. I can't do anything to you."

The ghost looked confused for a second, then Bokuto noticed the guy before him started floating, still sitting cross-legged. It was funny how he bend his long neck to avoid the ceiling, even though most definitely his head would just go straight through it.

"And here I wanted to ask whether you will be my friend-" the guy sighed, closing his eyes.

Bokuto stared at him, before a quiet alarm went off in his head. He knew this line. He heard this line countless of times, he-

"Do you like Casper?" he heard himself asking, and the ghost snapped his eyes open, looking at him in surprise. "Wait, you know this reference?" the Casper loving ghost asked in disbelief.

Bokuto laughed, a happy and boisteorous laughter, that left them both grinning at each other. He tried to pat the ghost's back, but his hand went right through his body. It felt like putting his hand in a lake water in January.

He dropped his hand to his lap and wasn't sure if he should apologise, but the ghost didn't seem to mind- looked rather amused, even.

"Try that line again!" Bokuto pleaded with barely hidden excitement in his voice. The friendly ghost smiled wider, eyes sparkling as he changed his form, adjusting his appearance to resemble their beloved character a bit more.

He furowed his eyebrows innocently as he hovered over Bokuto and asked in a timid voice "Will you be my friend?"

Bokuto had to contain a bubble of laughter trying to escape him, but he kept a straight face as he deadpanned, aiming for scared "It's a g-g-ghost!"

They laughed for almost five minutes after that, Bokuto rolling carefully on the floor, watching out for the unstable walls of his nest, and ghost somersaulting happily in the air. Then, they heard loud, approaching steps, and a whispered shout of Bokuto's name.

Ghost's face sharpened as he listened to an unknown voice, then looked down at Bokuto.

"Boo." the ghost said, looking at him in mischief before disappearing.

Bokuto huffed out a surprised laugh, before he crawled out from his nest to flash some light from the torch at Akaashi, to let him know he was okay.

Akaashi rolled his eyes at him when Bokuto narrated in awe and excitement his unreal adventure.

"A ghost being a fan of a ghost character and acting like this ghost character?" Akaashi repeated, watching Bokuto's never ending energetic little jumps of excitement with furrowed brows. "It seems extremely meta."

"Hm?" this calmed Bokuto down, as he tilted his head in lack of comprehension.

Akaashi shook his head, defeated. "Nothing, never mind."

But Bokuto wasn't listening, because suddenly there was a feeling of freezingly icy water surrounding his neck, like there was an arm thrown across his shoulders, and Bokuto smiled, looking in the general direction that he supposed his new friend's and co-fan's face should be.

'Boo." he mouthed at him, without making any sounds, as to not alarm Akaashi.

In response, Bokuto heard a soft chuckle right in his right ear.

* * *

Bokuto went back to the old building, after a week, bringing with him a copy of book that came out for the 50 year anniversary of the Casper series' merchandise. The album containted stories from the most audience appreciated episodes, concept art of the animated series and interviews with the movie actors. He owned two of these, because he always hoped to find a soul that shared his love for the series to whom he could offer the book. During 20 years of his life he didn't suceed finding anyone like that, so he wasn't going to be picky just because the person who turned out to be on the same level of nerdness as him was a ghost.

Bokuto learned that ghost's name was Kuroo, and that he was on cloud seven because of the book.

"Dude! I died like, a year before this book came out! I was so pissed, I had money saved for it and all, I preordered it online, and then I had to die, and you know how people would react if I were to go to the bookstore in this shape to pick up my order. Immediate annihilation."

"Yeah, we tend to over-react a bit." Bokuto admitted, curled under a wall with a dusty pillow in his lap and Kuroo balancing in the air just above the floor.

Bokuto held the book displayed on the pillow and slowly turned pages, waiting for murmurs of acknowledgment each time Kuroo finished reading a page. After fifty pages, Bokuto gasped "Wait!" Kuroo stilled in the air, looking at him, an expression of alarm and curiosity mixed on his face.

"Yeah?" he prompted Bokuto, when the hunter didn't speak for a while, just looked at him intently.

"Aren't ghosts able to move objects? In, like, telekinesis and stuff?" he asked slowly, frowning and almost getting cross-eyes from the utter focus he placed on Kuroo's glowing face. Kuroo pretend to think for a while. "Of course we can, but isn't it nicer when I have my personal page turner?"

Bokuto cried out, then laughed, shoving at Kuroo's arm. His hand went through Kuroo's form, obviously, but it didn't matter.

Kuroo knew what he meant, anyway.

* * *

"Do you miss anything the most?" Bokuto asked, looking at Kuroo's still form, and then shifting his gaze to the volleyball that bounced rhytmically in the air, moved with Kuroo's telekinesis.

Kuroo was silent for a moment, his eyes following the movement as well, then he dropped that ball to Bokuto's awaiting hands. Bokuto picked it up immediately to practice tossing on his own. He stopped when Kuroo floated to his side.

"Volleyball, I guess. And my best friend. We used to play together for like, half of our lives." he said quietly, and Bokuto just nodded.

He turned the ball in his hands, feeling the smooth surface. He didn't play as much these days as he used to, not since he decided on becoming a professional ghost hunter, but he couldn't imagine a life without the firm smoothness of the volleyball under his hands, anyway.

Then, Kuroo coughed. "And also, grilled mackerel. It sucks so bad I can't taste any foor anymore."

Bokuto laughed.

* * *

 "Wait, what? Dude, is that really your natural hair? I thought you dropped out of school to, like, become a punk band member, and then died in a bar fight, or from an overdose!" Kuroo looked positively shocked at this assumption, and Bokuto quickly changed his thought line to the topic that started his musings. "That's seriously your bedhead?" Bokuto asked loudly between waves of laughter.

Kuroo sat with his spine straight, floating in the air, trying to give off a dignified feeling, but his hand was unconsciously trying to tame the mop of his black hair.

"If I knew I was going to die that day and become a ghost, I would've put on some gel or at least brush them, believe me. Now it's the life of never ending shame. A forever bedhead. Dishevelled hair of immortality." Kuroo said with a grin, but his hand never stopped petting his hair in a self-conscious manner.

"Aw, I didn't mean it that way! It just- looks kinda cool. And I swear no one would ever even assume this is a bed head." Bokuto said, eyes squeezed in a smile. "'Looks too good on you. Suits you."

Kuroo kept awfully quiet after that.

* * *

One day, Akaashi asked him why was he taking away half of his belongings from his side of their shared apartment. Bokuto looked at him in confusion, and it took him several seconds untill he realised he was holding a handful of things such as a laptop, headphones and books, and that he was slowly packing them inside a bag.

"I think I'm nursing a crush." he explained with a huge smile plastered on his face, and threw the bagstrap over his neck. "Mission starts in six, right? I will be back in a few."

Akaashi looked after him without a word.

* * *

They spent over two hours hunched over the the laptop screen, utter focus on their faces floaded by the faint simmer of the light from the screen. Suddenly, Kuroo made a strangled noise, and pointed at something almost invisible to Bokuto's eyes.

"That's him!" the ghost said in a hushed voice, and Bokuto's eyes took in his excited expression. He hummed to himself, zooming on the picture. Kuroo nodded violently. "That's Kenma! Oh, he's with Hinata, they were friends while I was still alive. That's good they kept in touch."

"So, do you want me to like, contact him, or what?" Bokuto asked, closing the window with the picture. Kuroo stayed silent. "I can do that, that's not a problem. I mean- it sucks you couldn't even say goodbye to him, you know? I would be really pissed if I died suddenly and couldn't even say anything to Akaashi. And what's up with that ghost rule you can't speak after your death to people you cared about? That's mean, man." Bokuto sighed, wishing, not for the first time, that he could provide any sort of comfort to Kuroo. A pat on the head, a hand on the shoulder, a hug. Anything.

Before meeting Kuroo, he never fully appreciated and realised how much of a human interaction depended on corporal contact. How much more and how easier everything was expressed with touch.

Kuroo sighed, looking sadly at the screen. "What if the reason behind it is that I diseappear if I talk to him? Maybe it's that never resolved need to contact the ones we cared about that keeps ghosts chained to earth, you know?"

Bokuto hummed, then called Kuroo's name. The sound of _Tetsurou_ rolled nicely on his tongue, and even though it had been weeks, no, even months, since they first met, it still made Kuroo grin stupidly when he used his first name. Bokuto spread his arms with a welcoming expression and a wiggle of his eyebrows, and Kuroo chuckled, diving into his arms with a Cheshire cat like grin.

"I can't feel you, but this gesture alone makes me feel better, no doubt." ha laughed, then laughted even louder over Bokuto's firm resolve not to shiver with the cold, clearly mirrored on his face as he bit into his lip not to tremble from the freezing feeling of Kuroo's arms around him.

"That's kind of cool, because I feel like I just hugged a glacier." Bokuto managed to say through clattering teeth.

* * *

 "You are in love with a ghost." Akaashi repeated after him in a tired voice, his hands rubbing circles on his forehead. "You are a ghost hunter, a co-commander of the best ghost hunting squad, and you are in love with a ghost." he summed up, sitting on his bed as Bokuto paced around the room.

"You know, love just happens, now it only has happened to me!" he explained carefully. Akaashi stayed motionless, so he moved closer. "I thought about asking him out."

"You want to go on a date, with a ghost. Where would you go? To our canteen, where he would be annihilated within a second, or for a walk in a park, where he would raise unimaginable amount of panic that would result in widespread protests, especially if he was seen with one of the most famous ghost hunters hanging from his arm? What would that even say about our squads? The Board would execute you for treason."

Bokuto pondered over his words for a quiet minute, then broke into a grin. "He, you really think I'm that famous?"

Akaashi finally looked at him. "Bokuto."

But Bokuto just laughed, waving his hands at his friend. "Yeah, I know. The date places choice is kinda limited, that's why I asked you. Maybe we should just stay indoors."

Akaashi didn't grace him with any satisfying answer but a murmured "Yeah, maybe."

* * *

 Bokuto heard that countless times that to ghosts, telling someone how their human body died was the most soul baring action they could take. When Kuroo did tell him, he stayed with him for half the night. They didn't even talk, just sat silently next to each other. Bokuto didn't even mind that half of his body went numb from the stillness, and from the cold that invaded his body as Kuroo sat next to him. It's the first and the last time they didn't laugh at all when they were together, and it's the first time when Bokuto leaned in, and placed his mouth on the ice-cold lips.

He felt froze bitten for the next day, and the next time they see each other, Bokuto firmly announces that as long as he's alive, they would never get more intimate, because his body would probably freeze to death. And as much as he loved Kuroo, he doesn't want his dick to fall off.

Kuroo laughs and tells him he would never dare.

* * *

 This is how these things go: everything is fun and games until it isn't.

One day you are the best ghost hunter there is, and the other your best friend is holding your hand while you lay on the surgeon table and he tells you over and over you're gonna be okay, but there's your another best friend, and your love at the same time, sitting, invisible, on the other side, his hand holding yours, spreading coldness that turns into boiling hotness over your palm, and he looks regretful, and shakes his head, and you know that he's right and Akaashi isn't.

Akaashi stays next to your bed even after the only sounds filling the room is his own breathing and a stable beep announcing your heart gave up, and keeps sitting there as you leave your body and stand next to Kuroo, who just looks up at you.

And when he touches your back, his hand isn't ice cold, finally. It's as warm as fire, and though Akaashi is sitting there, an hour, two, looking at your body, and though you feel your heart breaking in two, because you didn't tell him a final goodbye just as you always dreaded, you feel free, too.

Kuroo watches you carefully, and after a while his signature grin returns to his face, and you lean in, your foreheads are touching, and though you know you don't have material bodies, you feel firmness of his structure better than when you were two figures of different realms.

You cup his cheek and kiss him on the forehead-

* * *

 The table went silent.

Bokuto didn't know what to make of their expressions, but he kept on grinning. When he peaked a glance at Kuroo, he noted with pride that Kuroo had almost exactly the same expression as his. They were the only ones who were smiling, though.

"That's..." Kenma started quietly, but Hinata beat him to it. "Really moving!" he said in amazement.

"That's absolutely not what I wanted to say..." Kenma said under his breath, a slight pout dancing on his lips.

Bokuto beamed at Akaashi, who was sitting with a neutral look on his face. "I've played this game many, many times, but no one ever managed to make this story _Romeo and Juliet_ -like." he said carefully, before adding. "You destroyed this game."

"I know, right?" Bokuto said with pride, but Akaashi just shook his head. "That wasn't a compliment."

"You are banned from this game. From all the turns of the _Ghosts versus Ghost Hunters_ we are going to play tonight." Kenma added, aiming his words at Kuroo. Kuroo whined his name, but Kenma was unrelenting. "Let's go and start over." he said, snatching the board from under Kuroo's hands, who was left speechles and managed to only make a grabby motion at his friend's hands.

"Kenma..!" Kenma didn't react and just stood up silently.

He didn't mind changes in his games, but Kuroo and Bokuto just made the entire game about their characters. Him, Akaashi and Hinata didn't even get to plan the battles that led to the heroic and glorious war, which was the main point of this game. The side plot Kuroo and Bokuto created was kind of funny, and entertaining, but they didn't come here just to listen to a star crossed lovers story.

Kenma wanted to show Shouyou how fun board games could be. And it definitely didn't work out so far.

"And let's play in a different room. I don't think we can stomach more PDA tonight." decided Akaashi, giving Bokuto a pained look while gathering their cards and figurines. Bokuto muttered something about keeping their touches under a table, away from their curious glances, but no one paid him too much attention.

Hinata just looked confused between four of them, before getting up, torn between staying with the third years, because this story they were tellin was really heart-clutching and interesting, and following Kenma and the other Tokyo setter to start another game. Finally, he ran after Kenma, probably remembring he was sorta - kinda - intimidated by Kuroo.

After the doors closed, the captains were left alone, speechless.

"I didn't mean-" Kuroo started, turning his gaze at Bokuto and waiting for any sort of reaction. Bokuto, however, looked as dumbstruck and helpless as he felt.

"Uh, is Kenma angry, or?" Bokuto asked after a while, and Kuroo just shook his head.

They sat in silence, weighting their options- should they follow their friends, or should they just make the best of a bad job and stay here, separated, and atone for their sins?

Kuroo felt a nudge, and turned his head to look at Bokuto questioningly. There was a new expression on Bokuto's face now, and Kuroo tilted his head in a silent question. Then, a hand travelled to his thigh, hidden under a table, even though there was no one around anymore to hide their sneaky touches from.

"So. If we are being banned from the board game night with the others, do you want to continue the previous game? Alone, since it's just two of us?" Bokuto asked in a low voice, as Kuroo half-shut his eyes at the pleasant warmth of Bokuto's palm spread on his leg.

"We don't have the board anymore." Kuroo noted level-headedly, not without regret, but Bokuto kept on smiling.

"That's not what I meant. We can stil- continue the story?" he suggested with laughter in his voice, and his hand travelled up Kuroo's thigh.

"Oh." Kuroo's confused look transformed into a grin. "Oh. Yeah."

There was a brush of lips on his earlobe, but before he could turn his head to return the favor, preferably with his lips brushing Bokuto's lips, they heard Akaashi's voice from the other room, loud and clear.

"Bokuto, you guys stay away from my bed."

Bokuto laughed into Kuroo's neck before shouting out half-offended and whiny, but mostly just amusent reply of agreement and understanding.

Besides, it wasn't like they needed a bed, anyway.

**Author's Note:**

> My first bokuro fic... Feedback appreciated. Hope it was funny enough.  
> Also I wonder how many times I misspelled bokuto for bokuro :""")


End file.
